Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura will team up to take on WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and Rusev in a tag team match in tonight’s main event.

Jinder Mahal, The Singh Brothers open Smackdown

The Singh Brothers are on stage and introduce your WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal. Mahal grabs a mic and talks about teaming with Rusev tonight in the main event. He describes Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura as two of his biggest rivals right now. Mahal says the audience has no idea what it is like to walk in his shoes. He talks about being disrespected nationwide. A loud “USA” chant starts up. Mahal talks about being disrespected at every airport or hotel he visits. He raises up the WWE Championship and thinks he should get the respect he rightfully deserves. Mahal describes himself as the best of the best.

The Singh Brothers talk about failing Mahal last week. They want to publicly apologize to everyone on the great continent of Asia, the 1.3 billion people in India and the WWE Champion, the modern day Maharaja, Jinder Mahal. The Singh Brothers vow that Nakamura will never touch Mahal again. “We don’t deserve you.” They apologize on behalf of the great nation of India. Little Rock starts another “USA” chant. The Singh Brothers request to kiss Mahal’s royal feet. Mahal extends his right boot. The Singh Brothers get down on their knees to begin kissing his feet with the lights go out.

Here comes Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura gets inside the ring and pushes The Singh Brothers aside. Mahal tries to throw a shot at Nakamura. Nakamura blocks it, throw elbows and The Singh Brothers go on the attack. Mahal with a superkick to Nakamura. The Singh Brothers and Mahal start attacking Nakamura when Randy Orton runs out. Orton clears house on The Singh Brothers and goes after Mahal. Here comes Rusev. Rusev levels Orton with a big superkick after hitting the ropes. The Singh Brothers pick up Nakamura. Mahal connects with his Cobra Clutch slam on Nakamura to close the segment.

AJ Styles will hold a WWE United States Championship Open Challenge tonight.

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin make their tag team debut next.

Predictable opening to the show tonight, it definitely sets up the main event, but nothing you've never seen before #SDLive

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin vs. The Ascension

We start with Chad Gable and Viktor. Gable with a big overhead suplex and a knee to the gut. Tag to Shelton Benjamin who gets a big reaction. Benjamin pulls Gable off Viktor and connects with a butterfly suplex. Gable gets the tag and connects with an overhead belly to belly on Viktor. Gable with a shot to Konnor. Gable gets tossed out.

-Commercial Break-

Back live, Konnor is throwing knees to Gable. Konnor plants Gable with a spinebuster. Tag to Viktor who stomps away at Gable. Konnor cuts Gable off from tagging out. Gable side steps Konnor in the corner. Hot tag to Benjamin. Tag to Viktor. Benjamin with clotheslines, high back body drop and a spin kick comb to Konnor and Viktor. Benjamin leaps over the top rope and kicks Viktor in the head. Benjamin with a top rope clothesline and Konnor breaks up the pinfall. Konnor is sent over the top rope. Benjamin drives Viktor down face first, hooks the leg and gets the pinfall for the tag teams debut.

Winners: Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin

Pretty good tag team debut for Gable and Benjamin, seems like a good fit for Gable as a solo run seemed premature #SDLive

Backstage, we see Baron Corbin walking around and he is asked about “squandering” his Money in the Bank briefcase cash in. Corbin said it was all John Cena’s fault and he doesn’t care about SummerSlam. He said he doesn’t live in the past. Corbin said he plans to take up AJ Styles on the open challenge and become the new United States Champion.

-Commercial Break-

WWE United States Champion AJ Styles heads to the ring and is ready for his open challenge. Styles grabs a mic and brings up Kevin Owens losing his chance to ever challenge for his title again as long as he holds it. He talks about re-opening the open challenge to the entire Smackdown Live roster and it starts right now.

Tye Dillinger walks out to accept the challenge. Baron Corbin walks out and cuts off Dillinger saying it is his turn. Dillinger shoves him away. Corbin attacks Dillinger and tells him to try and answer the challenge now. Corbin gets up on the ring apron when Dillinger attacks him inside the ring. Dillinger throws Corbin to the steel ring post and calls for the bell to ring to get the match officially started.

The bell rings and Dillinger chops away at Styles in the corner. Dillinger with shots to Styles in the corner. Styles with a big elbow to Dillinger from the ring apron. Dillinger catches Styles, Styles counters and locks on the Calf Crusher. Dillinger taps out.

Winner and still WWE United States Champion: AJ Styles

After the match, Baron Corbin pulls Tye Dillinger out and throws him at the barricade. AJ Styles catches Corbin with a forearm when he tries rolling inside the ring. Corbin is not happy and kicks the steel ring steps yelling at Styles. Styles holds up his title.

I really enjoyed Tye Dillinger doing the rush challenge to AJ Styles tonight, at some point "angry" Baron Corbin is gonna get tiring #SDLive

Backstage, we see Rusev getting ready when Jinder Mahal walks in. He talks about Bulgaria and India coming together tonight. Rusev said tonight is only about revenge. He said Mahal isn’t his friend and that he came to Smackdown to become WWE Champion. Rusev said after they win tonight, he is coming after Mahal and the WWE Championship.

Bobby Roode is in action next.

-Commercial Break-

Bobby Roode vs. Mike Kanellis w/ Maria Kanellis

Lock up and Mike works the left arm of Roode. Roode with a quick takedown. Mike with big stomps to Roode in the corner. Roode with big chops to Mike. Mike with a big right hand. Roode fires back with clotheslines. Roode catches Mike with boots in the corner and connects with a blockbuster from the second rope. Mike catches Roode with an elbow charging in. Roode with a spinebuster to Mike. Roode with the Glorious DDT for the win.

Winner: Bobby Roode

Fun TV match between Roode and Kanellis, great to see Roode part of the main roster right now #SDLive

Randy Orton vs. Shinsuke Nakamura with the winner earning a shot at the WWE Championship is announced for next week on Smackdown Live.

Kevin Owens is headed to the ring next.

-Commercial Break-

We return live with Aiden English singing in the middle of the ring.

Here comes Kevin Owens to interrupt. Owens has a mic and gets inside the ring. He says none of this unrefined Arkansas hillbillies will actually appreciate his singing. Owens suggests he leave the ring. English says he will leave because he likes him. Owens shows footage from last week losing to AJ Styles with Baron Corbin as the special guest referee. We see Shane McMahon getting involved and questioning Corbin’s fast count.

Back live, Owens asks what gives Shane McMahon the right to get involved and stop the special guest referee like that. He says Shane has screwed him out of the United States Championship twice. Owens says this would have never happened on RAW and that Stephanie McMahon would never abuse her power like that. He says this might be the “land of opportunity”, but it is really Shane’s personal playground.

Here comes Shane McMahon. Owens says here is Shane to once again steal the spotlight. Little Rock gives Shane a big reaction. Shane says it was Owens who picked his own special guest referee last week and it Corbin proved to be incredibly biased. He said he had no choice but to step in and become the referee when Corbin walked out on the match. Shane says Owens lost. Owens says he was screwed. Shane says this conversation is over. He tells Aiden English to return to the ring and for Owens to leave right now.

Sami Zayn is out for the next match. Owens is joining the commentary table.

Aiden English vs. Sami Zayn

English with a kick and tosses Zayn quickly to the corner. English with a quick suplex. Zayn clotheslines English over the top rope to the outside. Zayn dives over and catches English. Kevin Owens is complaining about the referee in this match. Owens slides in and takes off the referee shirt. Owens puts on the referee shirt and starts counting at Zayn who jumps off the corner. Owens with a Pop Up Powerbomb on Zayn. English drops down and covers Zayn for the pinfall. Owens with a very fast count to give English the win.

Winner: Aiden English

After the match, Kevin Owens takes off the referee shirt and throws it at the original referee who is still standing at ringside. Owens heads to the back.

Kevin Owens always finds a way to be entertaining, enjoyed him stepping in to steal the referee shirt and help English beat Zayn #SDLive

The Usos vs. The New Day in a non-title match is up next. The winners of the match get to pick the stipulation for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships rematch.

-Commercial Break-

Backstage, Shane McMahon says that match will not count between Aiden English and Sami Zayn. He was just informed Owens left the arena and Shane will be doing the same.

Backstage, Dolph Ziggler is asked what we can expect from him. Ziggler says you can expect nothing from him since they are in Little Rock tonight. He talks about being taken for granted in WWE. Ziggler says he is a star. He goes off on gimmicks in WWE.

WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos head to the ring. The New Day is out next. Xavier Woods has a knee brace on with an “IT’S SORE” sign around his neck.

That match is up next.

-Commercial Break-

Non-Title Match
Winners choose stipulation for championship rematch
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day

Back live, Kingston catches Jey with a cross body. Jimmy is in to catch Big E with a superkick. Kofi with a kick to the face of Jimmy. Kofi with a reverse sleeper on Jey countering a samoan drop attempt. Kofi drops Jimmy off the ring apron. Tag to Jimmy. Jimmy rolls up Kofi and holds the tights to get the pinfall.

Winners: The Usos

Pretty quick match between The Usos and The New Day tonight, I'm still cool with this feud continuing #SDLive

Backstage, James Ellsworth takes over the interview and introduces Carmella. She is not pleased with Ellsworth. WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Natalya walks up and wonders why she can’t keep her “pet on a leash.” She tells Carmella if she tries to cash in on her, she will make her the “Baron Corbin of the women’s division.” Naomi walks up smiling. She brings up her rematch clause coming up.

-Commercial Break-

Lana is inside the ring and has a mic. She introduces your next Smackdown Women’s Champion, Tamina. Tamina is in action next.

Tamina vs. Tina Stock

Tamina pushes Stock away after taking body kicks. Lana is on the mic yelling at Tamina to crush her. Tamina tosses Stock to the corner and throws some big headbutts. Tamina tosses Stock across the ring and connects with a superkick to get the win.

Winner: Tamina

After the match, WWE photographers get in the ring and takes photos of both Lana and Tamina. They refer to this as the Ravishing Revolution for Tamina.

Orton and Nakamura dump Mahal and Rusev out of the ring right away. Brawling breaks out at ringside as Orton sends Rusev into the barricade, while Nakamura tosses Mahal over the timekeepers barricade. Orton and Nakamura return to the ring as we head to a break.

-Commercial Break-

Back live, Nakamura catches Mahal with a kick to the head. Mahal cuts off Nakamura from tagging out to Orton. Mahal with a big knee to the back of Nakamura. Hot tag to Orton who throws big rights at Mahal. Orton with uppercuts to Mahal in the corner. Mahal avoids an RKO attempt, rolls out, Orton follows and levels Mahal on the outside. Orton with a fallaway slam to Mahal. Mahal dumps Orton out. Rusev sends Orton face first into the steel ring post. Tag to Rusev who stomps away at Orton on the outside. Mahal chokes Orton with his boot as Rusev distracts the referee. Orton with a headbutt to Rusev. Rusev fires back with a big spin kick that levels Orton. Tag to Mahal who is sent shoulder first into the steel post in the corner. Hot tag to Nakamura. Tag to Rusev. Nakamura with a jumping kick to the jaw of Rusev. Nakamura with body kicks to Rusev. Nakamura kicks Rusev in the head. Nakamura props Rusev up on the top rope and connects with his high knee. Nakamura gets an armbar applied. Mahal breaks it up. Orton tosses him to the ring apron, attempts his DDT, Mahal counters and then Orton eventually hits the DDT. Orton with a boot to Rusev and Nakamura with a knee from the middle rope. Nakamura backs up in the corner. Nakamura charges in and connects with Kinshasa on Rusev for the win.

Winners: Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura

After the match, Nakamura and Orton celebrate the tag team win. We see a replay leading to the finish. Back live, they continue to pose and smile at each other. Orton with an RKO out of no where on Nakamura. Orton and Nakamura will face off next week to determine who gets the next shot at the WWE Championship.

Smackdown comes to a close in Little Rock with Orton posing on the corner.

Pretty good main event, started slow but it really picked up with the hot tag to Nakamura to setup the fun finish #SDLive

12 COMMENTS

Kevin Owens is one of the best heels to ever put in a title storyline nowadays because he gives the impression that he would straight up murder someone if it meant taking/keeping a title. It means that much to him.

Cena doesn’t bury anyone. People think they instantly deserve success now and not earning it. Those that have fallen by the wayside is because they couldn’t go. Cena has spent the last few years elevating new stars so don’t even go there.